There is little I look forward to more than a day of nothing but coffee, a book, and a blanket. This is a list of books that have absolutely nothing to do with teaching. In fact, they are not appropriate for kids at all! They are just for you! Each book has a somewhat wintery theme, so they are perfect for December. Happy reading.
An Unwanted Guest
Shari Lapena knows how to write a mystery. Her books remind me of Agatha Christie in that they are clever, twisty (and not gory), but still spine-tingling. In this story, several guests check-in to a small but lovely inn in the woods. As the snow begins to fall, people begin to die, one-by-one. This whodunit kept me guessing until the end.
Winter Street (#1 in a Series of 4)
This novel is first in a series of 4, and each one is as readable as the last. Start here though, with Winter Street. If you know author Elin Hilderbrand, you know she is synonymous with Nantucket. This story follows the family of patriarch Kelley Quinn who owns and runs the Nantucket Winter Street Inn – where the big, annual Christmas party will take place. Expect family quarrels, love triangles, laughs, and lots of drama. In the end, you will definitely be rooting for the Quinn family in his heartwarming novel.
The Great Alone
Are you looking for a meaty story? Perhaps we can call this one a saga. Kristin Hannah takes readers on a journey into Alaska in 1974. A main character, Ernt Allbright, comes back from the Vietnam War a volatile and changed man. His wife, Cora, will do anything for Ernt – including moving to the wilderness of remote Alaska. Their 13 year old daughter is forced to endure her parents rocky relationship, a completely new community, danger in the form of extreme weather, animals, and her unpredictable father. This one is heavy, but very well written.
Starry Night
After The Great Alone, I was ready for a little Hallmark in my life! This is a somewhat predictable (but cute!) story of a columnist sent out to interview a notoriously reclusive Bear Grylls-type author. (Sign me up!) Does she get the story? Does she fall in love? I bet you can guess, but it’s definitely worth the read!
Rock, Paper, Scissors
And finally, this one. I read this book in two days. I think I could have managed it in one if my kids didn’t want to, you know, eat and talk to me 😉 Adam and Amelia Wright win a vacation to Scotland, and think it’s just what they need to set their relationship back on track. But they didn’t actually win the trip. One of them is lying, and one of them doesn’t want their marriage repaired at all. This story is twisty and dark and kept me guessing until the end.
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